TikToker Represents Down Syndrome Community as Model During NYFW

Representation matters—and that was the case at a recent runway event during New York Fashion Week.

According to TikToker Sarah Carolyn, who has more than 2.9 million followers on the social media platform, her sister Emily “broke centuries worth of barriers” by walking in the Jaqueline City Apparel charity fashion show this week. As a model with Down Syndrome, Emily shattered “expectations that lie within the fashion industry,” including that people “look, walk and dress a certain way” on the runway, Sarah wrote alongside a video that has since been viewed more than 2.2 million times.

At the show, Emily modeled a baby pink T-shirt that read “Disabled Is Not a Dirty Word,” gray leggings and black sneakers. Meanwhile, Sarah—who accompanied her younger sister down the catwalk—wore a white tee, tulle skirt embellished with chains and mini sword decorations and black heels.

The outfits’ designer, Jaqueline City, took to TikTok on Wednesday, Feb. 16, to share her vision behind the looks.